UDSM Street Outreach
Project Description
Street Outreach is an effort to bridge the gaps in healthcare access by meeting homeless individuals where they reside, on the streets of the U-district. Volunteers perform activities such as health assessment, motivational interviewing, vital sign acquisition, resource referral, chemical dependency counseling, and passing out essential living items with the goal of helping those in need and establishing a connection with local-area homeless individuals. University District Street Medicine (UDSM) is dedicated to addressing disparities in access to health care among individuals and families experiencing homelessness in the University District and beyond. Their mission is to empower individuals and the community by facilitating access to free, compassionate, quality social and health services for homeless and low-income people in the University District.
Location
Seattle
Clinic Schedule
First and third Fridays, 6:00pm-8:30pm
Organization
Clinical
Contact Information
All volunteers should contact the Outreach Manager hosting the event via the contact address provided on the Wejoinin sign-in sheet at least 24 hours prior to the outreach.
Website Link
https://udstreetmed.weebly.com/
Clinic Flow
Our Outreach Teams are small, which helps to reduce anxiety in our homeless clients from having too many providers at once, allowing for effective communication. Roles: Preceptors (one per team) - responsible for overseeing the health services provided by graduate/professional students. They provide professional advices and referrals, and respond to emergency situations. Graduate/Professional Student Volunteers (two per team) - responsible for providing medical care within their discipline. This includes acquiring patient medical histories, taking vital signs, conducting motivational interviewing, and providing resources referrals. Undergraduate Scribes (one per team) - responsible for documenting outreach events in an online database. This data is incorporated into our annual reports which are then used to improve services to the community.
Tips and Reminders
Dress casually but appropriate for the environment. For street outreach, dress in casual, non-provocative clothes, and comfortable shoes that you can walk in for a few hours. Refrain from wearing flashy items like expensive jewelry. Wear your UDSM Volunteer lanyard, which will be provided on-site. All other supplies are available at the UDSM storage locker. The Outreach Manager may suggest you to bring medical tools such as a stethoscope or blood pressure cuff.
Provider Information
The preceptor is a UW or community professional who currently holds an active license within their respective field. All non-UW employees must secure liability coverage through the Washington Volunteer and Retired Physicians Program. This coverage is provided by the DOH at no cost. For information on how to sign up, go to the onboarding page of this website.
Types of Volunteers Needed
School of Medicine, School of Dentistry, School of Nursing, School of Pharmacy, School of Public Health, School of Social Work, MEDEX, and PT/OT/P&O